1. Women in Medieval Society
Sophie Hinkle
Women in Medieval Society

2. Roles of Medieval Women
House work
Birth and raise children
Please their husbands
Help out with extra work on land

3. Women in their class structure
Peasant women
Noble Women
Married a little older than nobles because family needed extra hands
Cared for own children as well as sometimes noble children
Worked from earliest age possible and were considered adults at 10-11
Married younger as a political gesture or to benefit family
Were not forced to care for own children
While it wasn’t a lot, received more respect than peasant women

4. Laws for Women…set by men of course
Not allowed to marry without parent consent
Could not own businesses
Not allowed to divorce husbands
Could not own property unless they were widows
Could not inherit any land from parents if there were surviving brothers
Please Note: Church also greatly influenced position of women. Remember Eve was cause of “The Fall of Man”

5. Some Influential Women in Medieval Society
Eleanor of Aquitaine- Queen of France through her own right, then Queen of England through marriage of Henry II. She sent her sons to kill Henry after hearing of his adultery. While unsuccessful and imprisoned for attempt to murder, she retook throne because she outlived Henry.
Hrotsvitha of Gandersheim- employed as a canoness, poet, dramatist and historian, she was the first known female play writer.
Isabella of France- Queen of England through marriage with Edward II. She ran away with her lover Roger Mortimer and killed Edward. When her son took the throne he killed Roger and banished Isabella. The later crowning of Edward III as king of France started the Hundred Year’s War.

6. Fun Facts
Gender wage gap was real. For example, reaping would grant men 8 pence a day but only 5 pence for women. Hay making would get men 6 pence and 4 for women.
Life as a servant for rich families was considered a dream job
Most poor women didn’t live past their late 20’s
Only women that had some access to education were nuns
Unmarried women wore their hair down, and married women wore hair up and covered with a cloth
Clothes were baggy and colored bland. They were forced to wear what husbands wanted them to.
End of Middle Ages began witch hunt hysteria with over 80% of victims as women

7. Works Cited
Medieval Gender, Accessed 19 Sept
Lewis, Jone Johnson. “Twelve Medieval Women of Power and Influence.” ThoughtCo, medieval-europe Accessed 19 Sept
“Medieval Women.” History Learning Site, Accessed 19 Sept
“Women in the Middle Ages.” Women in the Middle Ages - World History Online, middle-ages.html. Accessed 20 Sept

8. Works Cited Pictures
“Eleanor of Aquitaine.” Pictify, pictify.saatchigallery.com/335850/eleanor-of- aquitaine. Accessed 21 Sept
Galbi, Author Douglas. “Hrotsvit of Gandersheim on men in the Life of Saint Thais.” Purple motes, thais/. Accessed 21 Sept
“Galleries.” Ancestral Memories , herebedragons.weebly.com/galleries.html. Accessed 21 Sept
“Posts about Medieval on History of Costume.” History of Costume, historyofeuropeanfashion.wordpress.com/category/medieval /. Accessed 21 Sept
VictoriaLopez. “Women in Medieval Times.” Women in Medieval Times, 1 Jan , womeninmedievaltimes.blogspot.com/. Accessed 19 Sept